Book Description 

When roguish Prince Jadon of Îles de la Rêverie is left in America to clean up his image after a horribly public break-up gone viral, romance is not on the table. Carefully planned photo ops with puppies? Yes. Scheduled appearances with the Santa Monica elite Absolutely. Rendezvous with a pink-haired, film-obsessed hottie from the private school where he’s currently enrolled? Uhhhh…  Together with his entourage—a bitingly witty royal guard, Rêverie’s future queen (and Jadon’s brilliant older sister), and a quirky royal liaison—Jadon’s on a mission to turn things around and show his parents, and his country, that he’s more than just a royal screw-up. If he doesn’t prove that he’s the prince Rêverie deserves? Well, he may not be allowed home… But falling for a not-so-royal American boy has Jadon redefining what it means to be a leader. If he can be someone’s Prince Charming just by being himself, maybe that’s all it takes to win over a nation. Or at least a prince can dream…

My Review 

This book ended up on my radar because of the comps to Red, White, and Royal Blue, which is one of my favorite novels. Also, I’m from LA, so having the book set there sealed the deal for me. 

Prince Jadon finds himself banished to the United States after an Incident at home. Part of his image rehab involves enrolling at an elite private school. This is a big step for Jadon because he’s always been educated by tutors at home. He falls in with the theatre kids and even auditions for the play. 

He also meets Reiss, who is very different from the other people who Jadon has met, both at home and now in LA. Reiss doesn’t try to impress Jadon; in fact, their first couple meetings are acrimonious. But then they take the time to get to know each other, and–excuse the cliche– the sparks fly. 

Even without Reiss, Jadon’s time in LA is marked by growth and change. He’s away from home for the first time in his life, and even though he’s living in a mansion and has an extensive support system, he’s still faced with situations he’s never had to consider before now. He has always had to justify who he is to his royal parents, but now he has the opportunity to be unapologetically himself as he reveals the catalyst behind the Incident that led to his banishment. 

I would absolutely recommend Prince of the Palisades. This book was simply delightful from start to finish. It’s bursting at the seams with Easter Eggs and sly references to all sorts of things. I loved the history behind Jadon’s island home and I love that his mother was a USC student and Jadon wants to experience Los Angeles as she did, all those years ago. I love that this book is full of Black joy and queer joy and it’s just overall such a joyful and happy book. I don’t mean to imply that this book is free of tension and drama, but strife is not a focal point of the narrative. 

I received a digital ARC of this book from Penguin/NetGalley.